Senate Seeks Partnership With Germany over Insecurity

Nwoko advocates citizen armament for self-protection

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has called on the German Government to collaborate with its Nigerian counterpart in the areas of security and electricity to enhance the socio-political development of the country.

This was as the Senator representing Delta North senatorial district, Ned Nwoko, has emphasised the necessity of his proposed bill allowing Nigerians to carry firearms inresponse to the escalating insecurity in the country.

Akpabio made the call when he led some of his colleagues to receive in courtesy, the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annette Gunther, in his office on Wednesday.

This was contained in a statement by the Special Assistant to the Senate President on Media, Mr Jackson Udom.

Akpabio said, "We are looking for partnership and guidance from Germany in the area of security and power generation.

"There is no doubt that we enjoy a very robust relationship with Germany and I see a much better relationship between Nigeria and Germany under your tenure as the Ambassador.

"Nigeria wants to improve on the existing relationship between us, and the Nigerian Parliament would be very glad to join the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to improve on that relationship.

"Anything we need to do in terms of legalising or in terms of legislation to make most of the policies and programmes that you are embarking on with the government possible, would be done. We want more German companies to join those that are already here.

The German Envoy said she was honoured to be received by the Senate President and his colleagues, assuring his hosts, of the commitment of Germany to assisting Nigeria to over come its security and power challenges.

"We are honoured to be here today. Nigeria and Germany being the largest economies and population in their respective continents, needs to come together in their peoples' interest. Nigeria is Germany's second largest trading partner in sub-Sahara Africa.

"The Siemens' energy project is often mentioned by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and I hope this may be our small contribution to improving electricity in the country. Germany is very active in somany areas like climate change and energy, she stressed.”

The security situation in Nigeria, she noted, " is worrisome to Germany as well as Nigeria. We have taken that up already because it is the most important prerequisite for socio- economic development, peace and human development.

"The security sector support reform is also where Germany is deeply involved. Over the years, we have spent quite a lot of money and we are very happy to see that going well under the leadership of the Natonal Security Adviser," Gunther stated.

Nwoko, in an interview with Arise News, yesterday, reiterated that security agencies had become incapable of protecting Nigerian citizens.

He noted the insufficient funding and manpower of the police force has rendered the security agencies unable to effectively protect citizens.

“My bill is predicated on the lawlessness that is currently pervading the nation. We all have experienced it or we know someone who has experienced it.

“We have come to a point in this nation where we have to make an honest admission to ourselves, which is that the security agents cannot really protect lives and properties as stated in the constitution.

“The common man is left to his fate. He does not get any kind of support from the police and the police force is unequipped, ill-funded, not capable of discharging those onerous duties and that is the fact.

“I am in the senate committee on police matters and I can tell you that we do not have the number of police men that we need to secure Nigeria as a country.

“The military on the other hand, has been spending billions of naira over the years, buying warplanes, different arms and ammunition in the name of fighting terrorism and other crimes.

“But they are also not able to deal with the issues and a lot of money has been spent and lives lost, and we are nowhere in finding solutions.”

“The idea of a bill to enable Nigerians to carry arms to defend themselves is borne out of desperation, the fact that people do not have the kind of protection that they need.”